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“Will do.”
It took sixteen hours before Evangeline regained consciousness again. Whatever the witch did to her, it hit her harder than Colt’s sedatives.
Maddox stood watch over her for every one of those hours. He dragged his chair so that he could sit at her bedside. He kept his elbows propped on his knees and his head hanging, his chin resting on his chest for the few ten-minute catnaps he permitted himself to have. His ears twitched anytime he heard a car approaching, panicked that it might be Wright returning with that damn warrant.
How was he supposed to make her remember when she spent all of her time unconscious? It was closing in on almost three days since he carried her away from Mugs. She’d spent more than half of it where he couldn’t reach her.
It was better than her being in pain, but not by much. At least, while she slept, she was healing. Her ankle—helped along by some ice and whatever healing he could share through their fledgling bond—was looking much, much better.
Maddox forced himself to eat if only because he would need his strength if Wright tried to take her from him. His only focus was on waiting for his mate to come back to him again.
He lost track of time. The lights were still off, the shades pulled low. It could be late afternoon, early evening… he had no idea. Time stretched on as Evangeline lay there, eerily still.
No twitching this time. No crying out. She slept like the dead.
Her scent changed first. The lingering cloying aroma of sickly sweet baby powder dissipated first, her warm, rich vanilla scent overpowering it. She let out a soft sigh, then turned from her back to her side.
Whether she meant to or not, she turned her body so that she was facing Maddox directly.
Evangeline opened her eyes, blinking slowly. Her hand reached up to her head, running her fingers through the tangles in her long hair. Maddox didn’t sense any pain radiating off of her; seconds later, she sighed and dropped her hand.
No headache.
Good.
Maddox cleared his throat, drawing her attention over to him. “Just putting it out there, that had nothing to do with me. I didn’t drug you.”
Evangeline swallowed roughly. “I… I know. I, uh, I actually remember. We were talking and…” Her eyes darkened, a mixture of despair and anger flashing across her pale features. She lost all color while she slept, her lips thin and cracked, her eyes dull. “It’s the headaches. They used to be that bad, but they were getting better. Now they’re worse.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’d say it’s not your fault, but stress does trigger them…” She shook her head. “I’m feeling better now. It’s just… can I have some water?”
Maddox’s chest felt light, as if a huge fucking weight had been lifted. Barely three days ago, Evangeline swore she would never consume anything he gave her. Now? She was asking him for a drink. Probably because the magic left her mouth dry, and she had to be dehydrated after how long she was out. It didn’t matter.
“Wait here.” There was a manila folder resting at his feet. Maddox scooped it up, tossing it on the chair after he stood. “I’ll be right back.”
He ducked downstairs, grabbing her a glass of water, before rushing back into the room. It didn’t even look like she had moved an inch.
“Here you go.”
Evangeline took the glass, sipping it slowly. It took her a few minutes to drain the contents. By the time she was done, she was already looking a little better.
She held the empty out to him. “Thanks.”
“More? Or do you want me to get you something to eat? You’ve gotta be starving.”
“Not right now. I’m still feeling a little queasy. Maybe later?”
Maddox nodded. “You just let me know. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
As soon as the words escaped him, Maddox wanted to take them back. He gave his mate the perfect opening to demand to be let free again. Not that he would do it—he couldn’t, not when he was so damn close—but it would hurt him to have to refuse.
But, to his surprise, Evangeline just nodded. “That’s fine. I’m usually not too hungry for a while after I get one of those awful headaches.”
“You still get them often?”
She looked down. Her hands were folded in her lap, but she noticed a thread pulling from her pale pink tee and absently pulled at it. Maddox needed to do something about getting Evangeline to change. The closets and drawers were full of her old clothes. When Colt came to take care of the place shortly after the accident, Maddox refused to let his brother throw any reminder of Evangeline away. Didn’t matter that she was supposed to be dead and Maddox was never getting out of the Cage. He liked the idea of their home being left just the way it was, like a shrine to their mating, no matter how brief it was.
